Widow Hopes Stickers Will Help Deter Suicide

A Saint John woman does not want anyone else’s family to go through what hers has.

Jaclyn McColgan’s husband, Brad, took his own life at the Reversing Falls Bridge in April.

McColgan has placed dozens of stickers on the bridge hoping to deter others from doing the same.

“To me, it just seemed like maybe you could have a few words of hope for people to maybe catch their eye, make they place that extra phone call that may keep them from doing the unthinkable,” said McColgan.

The stickers contain a short message and a phone number for local mental health services.

McColgan said she also wants people to know that it is okay to talk about suicide prevention and mental health.

“I think if people really understood how often this happens, there would be more people inclined to set up fundraisers for mental health or for suicide prevention,” she said.

Saint John council recently asked the province to revisit the idea of installing a suicide barrier on the bridge.

McColgan said she thinks a barrier could help but would also like to see more education in schools.

“I think this needs to start with kids and having kids understand themselves so much better so that they don’t reach that point where they don’t have any hope for themselves.”

“My husband, I couldn’t fix him, the health care system couldn’t fix him, he needed to want that for himself and he had reached a place where he couldn’t find that within himself.”

McColgan said she has received a lot of positive feedback since placing the stickers on the bridge, including from the Saint John Police Force.

“I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me just to kind of tell me their personal story and that’s been healing and helpful for me.”

A benefit for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Saint John chapter called “A Night of Laughs In Memory of Brad McColgan” is being held at the Parkway Mall on Sept. 21 and 22.